Abraham Garcia

Design and Technology Director, Managing Partner

Leading end-to-end brand strategy, creative direction, and design for an award-winning studio serving cultural institutions, educational organizations, and founder-led brands.

Designer, Frontend Developer

Launched the 'Etsy for Florists' as an integrated brand, product, and content system. Comprehensive product and go-to-market design for a seed-stage floral business startup.

• Developed an integrated brand, product, and content system from zero to launch for a seed-stage floral business startup based out of the 1776 incubator in Washington, DC.
• Designed and produced the viral 'My Fake Valentine' campaign, leveraging product features to drive national press and brand recognition (NPR, The Washington Post).

Designer, Frontend Developer

Culture-forward design and development at a fast-growing music platform. Helped evolve the product from a lyrics site into a headline-grabbing annotation platform.

• Led early product and brand design as Genius evolved from a niche lyrics site into the internet's annotation platform.
• Collaborated with artists and creative partners to develop viral content and branded experiences that fueled viral moments and cultural relevance.

Design Intern

Fast-paced branding and design at an iconic advertising agency working on national and global campaigns. Lead design on new business pitches for Fortune 500 brands.

• Owned story, creative comps, and presentations for Microsoft's Windows 8 launch pitch, which won the account and expanded CP+B's technology portfolio.
• Supported integrated advertising campaigns for AmEx, Kraft, and Domino's, working across print, digital, and experiential channels.

Designer

Strategic and technical design and illustration for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other government transportation agencies and initiatives.

• Worked directly with engineers and scientists on communication and design projects related to Global Positioning System (GPS) and new technology initiatives, translating complex technical language into approachable, informative, and concise writing and design.
• Produced high-resolution photography and designed high-quality, detailed, and accurate technical design, illustrations, catalogs, and exhibition graphics.

Communications Officer

Communications, design, and marketing for a non-profit clinic serving the immigrant population in NW Washington, DC.

• Led new campaigns and initiatives to appeal to fundraisers while maintaining a brand that represented unity and strength in the community.
• Collaborated across departments and disciplines and partnered with organizations like the Human Rights Campaign for events and fundraisers.

Designer, Account Executive

Comprehensive research and behavioral design for Hispanic and Latino populations. Leading evidence-based creative strategy, research, and strategic insights.

• Led evidence-based creative strategy, research, and strategic insights for U.S. federal agencies: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and more.
• Managed cross-functional teams turning theory (self-efficacy, norms, perceived risk) into clear message frames, CTAs, and toolkits for Latino-focused health initiatives.
• Built and managed a custom digital asset management (DAM) system to organize and distribute campaign materials across diverse projects and stakeholders.

Professor, Adjunct

Designed and taught web design and usability courses focused on interdisciplinary, user-centered digital experiences.

• Guided students through an iterative design and development process of research, prototyping, and product development.
• Integrated design theory, art history, and philosophy of science to build students' design intuition.

Graduate Assistant

Supported design faculty in advertising, electronic media, and visual communication courses for undergraduate and graduate students.

• Led studio critiques and hosted office hours, giving students the conceptual framework to talk about, present, and defend their work.
• Assisted with syllabus development, project prompts, and assignment sequencing to balance conceptual rigor and technical skills.
• Delivered lectures and demos on advertising design history, copywriting, digital tools, interactive media, and emerging design practices.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) — Graphic Design

• Collaborated with graduate advisor Ellen Lupton and graduate studio partners on 'Type on Screen: New Typographic Systems.' Contributions included original research, writing, and icon design featured in Chapter 4: Icons and Logotypes.
• Thesis centered on the history of sound and image technology through a deconstruction of electronic media — from image, to sound, to symbol, emergence, and then to silence — using custom-mapped MIDI controllers, Ableton, and Quartz Composer.
• Conducted graduate research on design for public and community health. Documented a workshop with the Baltimore City Health Department and the MICA Center for Social Design in collaboration with the Noun Project.

Bachelor of Science (BS) — Human Biology, Social Aspects of Health and Disease

• Unique interdisciplinary science degree focused on history, human evolution, and research/writing methods for public health. Coursework in anthropology, language, psychology, social sciences, natural science, and mathematics.
• Mentored first-year natural sciences students in the Partnership for Excellence in Natural Sciences (PENS), supporting first-generation students through integrated coursework, counseling, tutoring, fellowship, and mentoring.
• Completed coursework in Spanish, German, and natural sciences at the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Graduate Certificate — Public Health Communication

• Completed an accredited, accelerated graduate certificate spanning epidemiology, biostatistics, health behavior/health promotion, environmental health, and health policy/management.
• Graduate assistant to behavioral scientist Alfred L. McAlister, ScD; supported behavioral research and health communication projects through literature reviews, instrument development, and data management/analysis.
• Used behavioral theory constructs (e.g., self-efficacy, perceived risk, social norms) to shape health-promotion strategies and evidence-based messaging.

Communications Officer and Designer

Communications and design for a local non-profit arts council in James Island, South Carolina.

• Standardized brand identity, marketing, and design for a non-profit community arts council.
• Created and managed campaigns for community initiatives, including an annual art auction in coordination with area middle and high schools. Student art was exhibited and auctioned alongside established sea island artists.

Studio Artist

Showcased motion graphics, risograph posters, and zines. Final pieces sold at the yearly studio artist gala.

• Participated in regular Open Studio events, inviting the public to engage with the creative process, fostering community connections, and creating opportunities for art sales and networking.

Design Fellow

Led digital and interactive design for an award-winning Baltimore City Health Department health marketing campaign.

• Conducted user research by attending and documenting Baltimore Ballroom scene events.
• Participated in a panel discussion at Johns Hopkins University to evaluate the collaboration with the city and discuss campaign impact and the role of design in public health.